MENU
SEARCHA Lake County (Fla.) Sheriff's deputy captured a seven-foot alligator that had crawled on to the grounds of the middle school where she was assigned as a school resource officer.
Photo courtesy of Lake County SO.
A Lake County (Fla.) Sheriff's deputy captured a seven-foot alligator that had crawled on to the grounds of the middle school where she was assigned as a school resource officer.
Deputy Jessica McGregor, 29, heard a radio call about an alligator at Clermont Middle School on Tuesday. After being told that a trapper was two hours away, the deputy headed over to secure the alligator. Children had just been dismissed from school.
Deputy McGregor grabbed some rope, tied a noose, and lassoed the reptile. She dragged it out, straddled it, and taped it mouth shut. The deputy grew up in Lake County, and learned how to trap alligators on her property. In the past, the agency offered rudimentary training from state fish and wildlife officers, agency spokesman James Vachon told POLICE Magazine.
"The current curriculum does not have any training," Vachon said. "Jessica told me she did not get any training in the academy on handling gators, just experience from growing up."
Watch a video of the encounter here .
Related:
Join POLICE as we visit with Steve Atkinson of Traka and learn about the company’s asset management cabinets and key lockers.
Read More →
Team Wendy shared data about DREW, a biofidelic helmet-test rig built to simulate real head-to-ground falls and capture both linear and rotational head motion, during the recent Personal Armour Systems Symposium in Belgium.
Read More →
The 2026 US Police and Fire Championships, featuring more than 35 Olympic-style events and new competitions, will return to San Diego, California.
Read More →
In honor of National First Responders Day, FOX News Channel’s FOX & Friends will host a live audience made up of first responders and their families. Police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and other emergency personnel have been invited to attend the live program.
Read More →
Discover how one police department cut crime nearly in half using smarter patrol data. This whitepaper breaks down the real-world strategy behind a 46% drop in vehicle thefts, improved officer safety, and stronger community visibility.
Read More →
Last week, during IACP 2025, Axon unveiled what it called the next evolution of its connected public safety ecosystem. Key launches included Prepared by Axon, new Axon Assistant and Axon Air Drone as First Responder (DFR) capabilities, and Community Shield and Community Link.
Read More →
Thumbnail for video series POLICE Topics, Tactics & Tips with a yellow headline that reads When Do You Transport a Wounded Officer Instead of Waiting for EMS?
Read More →
The first – and worst – time I had to fight to keep my gun, my holster and duty belt held up far better than my training did.
Read More →
Streamlight has launched the Wedge SL, an ultra-thin, USB-C rechargeable light designed for users who want pocketable power.
Read More →
Watch expanded coverage of IACP 2025 as the POLICE Magazine team walks the aisles at the expo and shares what we found interesting on display for chiefs from across the country and around the world this week in Denver, Colorado.
Read More →